When I discovered Rachel Bloom's video I threatened to divorce my wife and hunt her down to marry her. then I remembered I'm too lazy for hunting and too cheap for divorce.
I don't necessarily look for authors when I read, though I do seek out a few that some consider "masters." I have collections of Poe, Hemingway, the aforementioned Bradbury, Lovecraft, R. E. Howard, and E.R. Burroughs. I love my action/ adventure pulpies: Conan, The Martian Tales Trilogy. Palahniuk, I enjoy but I find I have to read him intermittently, because I just get a little tired of his voice. 1984 is a book every free person must read, in my opinion. And having just finished Lord of the Rings, I have officially fallen for Tolkien. Long winded though it may be, the man was a painter with words.
I feel an urge to toss comics in here, as well, because some are so well written. I'll read just about anything by Mark Millar, Warren Ellis, Mike Carey, Robert Kirkman. I find that Grant Morrison, while a great writer, often tries to write over people's heads to try and show superiority (my opinion, just how I read him). Everyone adores Allan Moore, I haven't read enough of him to truly have an opinion, but for his contribution to comic history, I thank him. Love me some Frank Cho and his Liberty Meadows. I've been reading the web series "Oglaf" and it is gloriously absurd. I read "Questionable Content" every day and check in on "Menage a 3", "Eerie Cuties", and "Magick Chicks."
Having written all of that, I don't read nearly as much as I should. I read slowly so it takes me a while. And as a wannabe writer, I always feared that I would subconsciously emulate a writer, rather than find my own voice. But that's something that gets worked out through practice.
Also, the book Perfume by Peter Suskind is magical and the film is absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend both.
